US Says Official’s Naypyidaw Talks Signals No Policy Shift

By LALIT K JHA

WASHINGTON — The US says Tuesday’s meeting between a State Department official and Burmese Foreign Minister Nyan Win does not signal a change in its Burma policy.

Stephen Blake, director of the US State Department’s Office for Mainland Southeast Asia, met not only Nyan Win but other government officials and members of ethnic minority groups and the central executive committee of the opposition National League for Democracy, a Washington press briefing was told.

“His visit does not reflect a change in policy or approach to Burma,” a State Department spokesman said. “Office director-level officials, including Blake’s two immediate predecessors, have visited Burma and met with Burmese officials on a number of occasions in recent years.”

Blake’s visit to Burma was part of a five-country tour of the countries covered by his office. Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are the others.

The US State Department said the Burma policy review announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is still underway.

“While we have not yet finalized our approach, we remain committed to encouraging a genuine dialogue between the Burmese authorities and opposition that leads to a free and democratic Burma that respects the rights of its diverse citizens and is at peace with its neighbors,” it said.

On Monday, the US again urged the Burmese military junta to release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners. State Department Acting Spokesman, Robert Wood expressed disappointment that the regime continues to ignore the calls of the international community, including the UN Security Council, to release the more than 2,100 political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.

The US statement came after the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said the continued detention of Suu Kyi and leading dissidents Aung Myin, Ko Jimmy, Paw Oo Tun and Mtay Win Aung are arbitrary and unjustified, and that the house arrest of Suu Kyi is in contravention of Burma’s own laws.